Surge protection for Bryston amp


Looking for recommendations on a surge protector for my Bryston 4B-SST amp. Doesn't need "conditioning" as I'm very happy with the way it sounds and I need something that won't limit the dynamics. I'm currently plugging the amp into a Hubbell 8200 socket in the wall but obviously I'm not protected against surges & spikes. Monster HTS2000 is used on the cdp and preamp. Tried the HTS but felt it tamed the amp somewhat. Need something that protects first and foremost - budget $350 or less (new or used)
rgd

Showing 2 responses by bob_bundus

solid state amps are certainly vulnerable to line transients as much as anything else: take it from an unhappy personal experience of mine.
No matter what the builder says, they can also benefit from upgrade AC cords & from line conditioning; again taken from personal experience.
I recommend the Chang Lightspeed 9900 amp, a 30 amp capacity unit that does not constrain dynamics & has built in MOV transient protection.
However if you want to get by on the cheap; get some GE V130LA20B MOV's or equivelant from an electronics supply such as Allied or Newark. Install at your wall outlet screws, paralleling directly across the hot to neutral, neutral to ground, & hot to ground. I used crimped spade lugs fastened under the outlet screws (crimps backed up by soldering - crimping to solid conductors is iffy).
This isn't the best approach but it beats nothing at all. Equipment should still be powered off & unplugged during thunderstorms no matter what protection you have; I use whole-house gas discharge protection at the fusebox, MOV's, Changs, & I still suffered damage when a direct lightning strike hit the pole right outside. Damage was minimal & repairable though, would not have been at all fixable if I hadn't had all that protection, but as it was only one single semiconductor was blown up.
MOV's are metal oxide resistors BTW.
an iso xfmr won't protect against transients
If that were true then the power supply transformers in your equipment would be all that you ever need - which is obviously not the case.